News

Rachel More, a Stroud Valleys Project volunteer, is the first person to sign up to Ecotricity and help out the charity at the same time. Ecotricity will donate £60 to SVP for each person who switches their energy supplier to them. (Click here for more information about this scheme.)

Rachel volunteers with the weekly Women Outside Working group. She is attending this SVP practical conservation course to learn how to plant, maintain and lay hedges. Rachel is very pleased to be able to help the charity and she said, "I believe that Stroud Valleys Project’s work is invaluable to the local community by providing support to get people actively involved in conservation as well as maintaining and enriching Stroud’s green spaces. I am really pleased to be able to support Stroud Valleys Project with their appeal."

Stroud Valleys Project’s volunteers are involved in a new community initiative at Delmont’s Lot behind Boots in Stroud, which will see a community café opening where people can get together, cook and socialise.

People from Independence Trust and OPENhouse residents put a lot of work into clearing the overgrown site in the summer and SVP’s Green Team volunteers are giving them a hand with further clearance and digging, as well as planting a native hedge to improve the site for wildlife. Sheltered seating area will be made, and there are plans for raised beds to grow vegetables, wild flowers and herbs.

Environmental charity Stroud Valleys Project is urgently appealing for donations to help survive through to the next financial year.

"Like many charities we are finding it hard to raise the money to keep going and are appealing to people to sign up as our Friends and give us a regular amount every year. If we could get 1,000 families to pledge just £25 a year that would help us to plan for the future," said SVP chief executive Clare Mahdiyone. "If we don't reach our target then we will have radically rethink our future in the town."

Stroud Valleys Project’s CEO Clare Mahdiyone explained: ‘Wildlife adoption is a perfect present for people who don’t want to acquire more ‘stuff’ but would rather get satisfaction from helping a good local cause. Money raised through the wildlife adoption scheme will be spent on creating habitats on local green spaces and working towards the conservation of their chosen species.

‘Adoption certificates are available for little dragons (or great crested newts), grass snakes, bats, water voles, kingfishers and dippers – all species living at green spaces managed by SVP’s volunteers. Adoptions cost £20 and you will receive an adoption certificate, a factsheet about the animal’s ecology and you will be invited to a special wildlife event.’

For more information please contact Stroud Valleys Project on 01453 753358 or
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TUESDAY, 6 th NOVEMBER– 11 th DECEMBER

(weekly sessions,10am – 1pm)

Do you want to grow your own food but are not quite sure where to start? Stroud Valleys Project is running a six-week autumn allotment course where you can learn the basics before the spring growing season kicks in.

Ivi Szaboova, who runs the allotment course, said: “Zero food miles, exercise, putting down roots in our communities, and lovely home-grown fruit and veg – these are just some of the reasons why people love allotments. The course will teach autumn allotment essentials like soil improvement, tool maintenance, looking after soft fruit, how to make the finest compost and grow winter veg.”

The course will take place at Bisley Old Road allotments and will cost £45 (£31.50p for people in receipt of benefits). SVP can help with fees for people on low incomes.

For more information contact Ivi Szaboova on 01453 753358 or
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Apple Day in Stroud went ahead despite a catastrophic harvest in our orchards as Stroud Apple Town organised a weekend of apple-y festivities.

Stroud Valleys Project Green Team volunteers helped with endless apple chopping and crushing to give locals a chance to taste freshly-pressed apple juice, as well as providing 10 heritage varieties for tasting, a ‘mystery apple’ game and ‘guess the apple weight’ competition, while the Dead Dog Cider duo entertained the crowds. More juicing happened at the Farmers’ Market and the Museum in the Park, and over 50 heritage Gloucestershire apple varieties were on display at Day’s Cottage market stall.

A Discovery Day was held at the Rackleaze Nature Reserve in Cam to celebrate the conservation achievements by Stroud Valleys Project (SVP) and its band of volunteers who through Biffaward (Landfill Tax Levy) funding have increased opportunities for wildlife and biodiversity at the wetland site.

Richard Lewis, SVP’s project officer at the nature reserve said ‘The nature reserve is an oasis for wildlife and the day was a celebration of the work that has gone on at the site and hopefully the work that SVP will be able to continue to do in the future at the nature reserve’.

The day was officially opened by Mary Oram, a member of the Cam Wildlife Group, who along with other members of the group cut the ribbon to mark the opening of the new boardwalk that allows public access to the field pond on the nature reserve.

Display board showcased the different types of bird and insect species that have been found in or around the nature reserve, visitors to the event we’re able to get involved by catching insects, such as butterflies and bees, in nets. Adding to the survey records already collect by SVP’s own survey team, Denise Gibbons and Barbara Wood.

It is hoped that with the help of SVP, Cam Parish Council will formally start the process of designating the site as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) for all the community to enjoy.

Summer conjures up images of sun, sea, ice creams and picnics – but also the lovely smells of making hay, the old-fashioned way. If you have a scythe you don’t need, please donate it to Stroud Valleys Project so that volunteers can be trained in the art of hay-making. Using scythes is better for the environment and our carbon footprint, as well as more pleasant than noisy petrol strimmers.

SVP also collects second-hand garden tools to sell in its SVP Ecoshop.

If you can help please contact SVP on 01453 753358.

SVP supporter Spencer Hawes using a scythe in his orchard.

A pioneering women-only volunteering group is set up by Stroud Valleys Project to help local women improve their mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. The WOW! Women Outside Working weekly sessions will start on Thursday 23rd August at 10am on Bisley Old Road allotments in Stroud.

WOW! is aimed at women who like being outdoors, growing food and learning new skills in practical conservation.

Ivi Szaboova, Stroud Valleys Project’s Biodiversity Officer who will run the group said: “SVP had a fantastic response to the idea of women-only food growing courses. During two spring courses women worked together in a supportive group and learnt how to grow organic veg. Recent funding from Ecominds allows SVP to start up WOW! Women Outside Working, a new weekly food growing and conservation group for women – a first for Stroud! “

Even just five minutes of outdoor exercise like walking in a wood or working in a garden improves people’s mental wellbeing, according to a study published in the Environmental Science and Technology Journal. (2010).